Breath

04 JANUARY 2021

Healthy breathing is in short supply, according to author James Nestor. His new book, “Breath“, chronicles how societal forces have led to crowded teeth and mouth-breathing.

Modern children often grow up on soft, processed foods that need little chewing. With the resulting smaller mouths, nasal breathing and crowded teeth follow.

There is hope, however. Chewing (or orthodonic devices that simulate chewing) can widen the mouth for both children and adults. And even lifelong patterns of mouth breathing can be switched to healthy nasal breathing with some work.